The debate over amalgamation of elite AAA minor hockey in Kitchener and Waterloo for next season rages on, with the latest being a plea in the Waterloo Region Record for the major junior Kitchener Rangers to butt out.
A reader of Wayne's World of Minor Hockey points out the article without comment. Well, maybe a sigh.
In a nutshell, the merger in K-W under the coaching eye of the Kitchener Rangers would mean better development of the best young players in the Twin Cities. By boiling down the teams, single local entries could finally compete with AAA teams from London, Elgin-Middlesex and Toronto.
Whether they admit it or not, it would also give the Rangers a better database of local talent and position them to find some late draft coupes.
But the downside is the damage to local hockey pride and the traditional Canadian grassroots approach to minor hockey. It's particularly stinging for Waterloo, the junior partner in this.
What do I think? I like the idea as it puts more kids at a level - AA - that better matches their skills.
AAA should be elite, intense hockey, where the players are from age 12 or 13 sincerely aiming at playing on Jr. B or major junior teams.
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